Atwater pedestrian struck by vehicle, dies

A 48-year-old man died Tuesday, a day after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in Atwater, the Police Department reported.

John Curiel was struck by a vehicle about 8:48 p.m. Monday on Bellevue Road, near Buhach Road, Lt. Samuel Joseph said.

Police said Curiel was walking his bicycle across the road, outside of a crosswalk, when he was hit by a blue 1993 Dodge Dakota. Investigators said the incident occurred in the eastbound lane.

Joseph said the pedestrian was “impeding traffic” and the driver of the truck, a 55-year-old man whose name was not released, was not at fault.

Curiel was flown to a regional hospital in critical condition. He died the following morning, the Police Department said.

Neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have been factors in the crash, police said.

This story was originally published May 5, 2015 at 4:59 PM with the headline "Atwater pedestrian struck by vehicle, dies."